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YOPP Summit: Live Broadcast from Geneva!

Iceberg (photo:Silje Bergum Kinsten/norden.org)The Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) Summit will be hosted from today, July 13th 2015, to Wednesday, July 15th 2015, at the WMO Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland.

The mission of YOPP is to enable a significant improvement in environmental prediction capabilities for the polar regions and beyond, by coordinating a period of intensive observing, modelling, verification, user-engagement and education activities. YOPP is one of the key elements of the Polar Prediction Project (PPP).

PPP is a long-term initiative by the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) together with the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), with the participation of research centres, universities, institutions and initiatives from all over the world, set up to understand and evaluate predictability and enhance prediction information and services in polar regions.

The polar regions have been attracting more and more interest in recent years. The main reason is concerns about amplification of anthropogenic climate change. Furthermore, increased economic and transportation activities in polar regions are leading to more demands for sustained and improved availability of integrated observational and predictive weather, climate and water information to support decision-making. However, partly as a result of a strong emphasis of previous international efforts on lower and middle latitudes, many gaps in weather, sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasting in polar regions hamper reliable decision making.

In order to achieve its goals the Polar Prediction Project shall strive to enhance international and interdisciplinary collaboration through the development of strong linkages with related initiatives; strengthen linkages between academia, research institutions and operational forecasting centres; promote interactions and communication between research and stakeholders; and foster education and outreach.

The YOPP Summit, which is currently hosted in Geneva, is a key element in the planning for the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP). The purpose of the Summit is:

to give an overview about the present level of planning,

to identify stakeholder expectations and requirements,

to develop priorities,

to define intensive observing periods,

to agree on the YOPP data legacy,

to coordinate planned activities, and

to gather formal committments from parties interested in YOPP.

The results of the Summit will be used to finalize Version 2.0 of the YOPP Implementation Plan. The YOPP Summit will be attended by scientists, stakeholders as well as representatives from weather and climate prediction centres, international bodies and funding agencies.